Our son has been accepted to both, SCAD and Ringling art colleges...????

[reesecup]

Thank you both! I know it will be a hard decision!

 

[reesecup]

My cousin graduated from KCAI. He currently lives in NYC and does work for Marvel, Cartoon Network and this week he did some work on the Deadpool comic. His work has been in Spin and Mad magazines. I don't think he ever wanted to work for Disney, he is way more comic book artist (obviously!). He does pretty well for himself and he is currently working on something that could be huge, but I'm sworn to secrecy! Of course, it could also not go very far too, he doesn't want to get his hopes up. My DD wants to go into art also and we would like her to stay closer to home and there is a college here the Creative Center College of Art & Design that we are hoping she'll get into. It's also very expensive, but they do graduate with a bachelors in 3 years. Good luck to your son! How exciting!!

This is really neat!! I love reading all the connections on here. Thanks for the insight. AND to throw things in the mix, our son just got accepted into KCAI and got the highest merit scholarship they offer totaling $84,000!! He was beyond excited. He always said he would be interested in Cartoon Network as well or doing book illustrations. But, of course Disney/Pixar has always been the top dream for him. We will see how all of this unfolds. The rep with SCAD said for him to send them his resume and that there was possibly more money to be given to him there...Haven't heard any scholarship news from Ringling and we haven't completed FAFSA yet but will get that in soon. Thanks all and that is cool about your cousin. Can't wait to find out what the top secret is!!

 

[vettechick99]

This is really neat!! I love reading all the connections on here. Thanks for the insight. AND to throw things in the mix, our son just got accepted into KCAI and got the highest merit scholarship they offer totaling $84,000!! He was beyond excited. He always said he would be interested in Cartoon Network as well or doing book illustrations. But, of course Disney/Pixar has always been the top dream for him. We will see how all of this unfolds. The rep with SCAD said for him to send them his resume and that there was possibly more money to be given to him there...Haven't heard any scholarship news from Ringling and we haven't completed FAFSA yet but will get that in soon. Thanks all and that is cool about your cousin. Can't wait to find out what the top secret is!!

That is amazing. He must be really talented.

I live near SCAD and it's really grown into an amazing college with a superb reputation. And Savannah is a fantastic city - not too big, and not too small. I would feel good about my own daughter moving to Savannah at 18.

Congrats & GL!

 

[MrsDuck]

That is quite impressive! Congrats to him!

Personally, I'd go where the scholarship is.

If he hasn't been to both (beautiful) campuses, that's a good way to narrow things down as well.

 

[reesecup]

Thank you both! Vettechick99, I think you are the one that I've read many trip reports from. Great reports!! "Mrs. Duck", we have toured Ringling. He LOVED it! Going to tour SCAD on March 7th. He got his acceptance to KCAI and a VERY substantial scholarship and they are really wanting him to come out to tour. That is just so far for us! SCAD has also bumped up their scholarship from the original offer. Still not what KCAI has offered though. We have still not heard about scholarship money from Ringling yet and we do know, they don't offer as much as the other two do but we are hoping for some. We can't wait to tour SCAD. I know I will love Savannah!! And we loved Sarasota so much too!

He found out he got a Gold Key from the Scholastics Competition for his whole portfolio entry. He now goes on to the national competition and there is potential for scholarship money there. Crossing fingers again!!! Thank you all so much. It's an exciting journey for all of us and one that he has worked so hard for and given up so much (hope I'm not being repetitive. I know it's been some time since I've responded. My mother-in-law is in quickly declining health so I've been helping with her).

 

[reesecup]

For those of you who have responded and offered advice, we toured SCAD this past Friday. OMG!! I am in love with Savannah. Very impressive things with the school also. We think though that maybe Chase would be better at Ringling which is smaller. But boy, it's going to be a tough decision! I love the fact that the buses take the students anywhere they need to go and everything then need is either walking/biking distance or the school bus which runs through the night if they need it. And Savannah was just breath taking. I want to move there now!! I also loved Sarasota as well though.

 

[NewRVLady]

My son's good friend graduated from SCAD-he is super talented Artist

Ironically, his love of music is his current focus-his band is promising.
When off tour he and wife do graphic designs

 

[Robinrs]

For those of you who have responded and offered advice, we toured SCAD this past Friday. OMG!! I am in love with Savannah. Very impressive things with the school also. We think though that maybe Chase would be better at Ringling which is smaller. But boy, it's going to be a tough decision! I love the fact that the buses take the students anywhere they need to go and everything then need is either walking/biking distance or the school bus which runs through the night if they need it. And Savannah was just breath taking. I want to move there now!! I also loved Sarasota as well though.

Isn't Savannah gorgeous? It's my second favorite city in America!! SCAD is also in Atlanta but you lose the appeal of that city. Let us know what you choose!!

 

[cbcrockett]

A little late to the party but 1) Congrats to your son! And 2) my little sister is a sophomore Production design major at SCAD. She'd also love to work with Disney in some capacity at some point as well. She loves it. It's a tough school, but most good "art" schools are.

There are really a lot of options at SCAD for sure. But, definitely go,with the combination of the best school/programs and the best fit. It can be a great school, but if it's not the right fit for you and your family, it won't work! Good luck and congrats again!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[MrsPete]

I don't know anything about Ringling, but the things I know about SCAD are quite polarized -- nothing about the place is average:

- Savannah is a great town; not too big, not too small. Traffic is awful during tourist season. Lots of opportunities for part time jobs during tourist season.

- A number of my students have gone to SCAD, and without exception they LOVE it. The work I see from them is amazing.

- I hear that the dorms are small but the food is excellent.

- The cost is outrageous, but 100% of my students who've attended have been given some scholarship money. They essentially give some money to just about everyone, though the bottom line price still remains far above the cost of a state school.

- The lack of transferability of classes is a big concern. Not many students begin a four year college thinking they'll transfer, but quite a few of them do.

- A good friend's son was very, very interested in attending, but then she read that SCAD is in the top 5% of all colleges in the nation for the worst return on your tuition dollar. He enrolled in NC State's design school instead. I haven't read the article myself, but it would be worth looking up.

- Their president/dean/chancellor -- unsure of the exact title -- was the highest paid in the US, and its been a big political thing.

 

[NewRVLady]

- A good friend's son was very, very interested in attending, but then she read that SCAD is in the top 5% of all colleges in the nation for the worst return on your tuition dollar. He enrolled in NC State's design school instead. I haven't read the article myself, but it would be worth looking up.

.

I have to agree that any expensive art degree is hard to pay off once you enter the real world

My son's friend (SCAD) got the same Computer Art/design degree that my son got in our state school system
It took my son 5 years at his design firm to start making a higher wage. He is now a senior Designer. It would have been very hard to also pay off student loans. So glad he graduated debt free.

 

[shortbun]

We are working hard to see that our son has no debt from his undergraduate degree. He is on his own for graduate school. He better get some fantastic grades and be in demand! lol!

 

[Robinrs]

I have to agree that any expensive art degree is hard to pay off once you enter the real world

My son's friend (SCAD) got the same Computer Art/design degree that my son got in our state school system
It took my son 5 years at his design firm to start making a higher wage. He is now a senior Designer. It would have been very hard to also pay off student loans. So glad he graduated debt free.

http://www.businessinsider.com/worst-value-colleges-2012-4

This is very common in the art world, always depends on what route you take after graduation.

I work with several SCAD graduates, all in their 40s, none make very good money because they took the broadcast route and that's not the route to take for the BIG money in this town.

 

[reesecup]

I don't know anything about Ringling, but the things I know about SCAD are quite polarized -- nothing about the place is average:

- Savannah is a great town; not too big, not too small. Traffic is awful during tourist season. Lots of opportunities for part time jobs during tourist season.

- A number of my students have gone to SCAD, and without exception they LOVE it. The work I see from them is amazing.

- I hear that the dorms are small but the food is excellent.

- The cost is outrageous, but 100% of my students who've attended have been given some scholarship money. They essentially give some money to just about everyone, though the bottom line price still remains far above the cost of a state school.

- The lack of transferability of classes is a big concern. Not many students begin a four year college thinking they'll transfer, but quite a few of them do.

- A good friend's son was very, very interested in attending, but then she read that SCAD is in the top 5% of all colleges in the nation for the worst return on your tuition dollar. He enrolled in NC State's design school instead. I haven't read the article myself, but it would be worth looking up.

- Their president/dean/chancellor -- unsure of the exact title -- was the highest paid in the US, and its been a big political thing.

Thank you for this list. I pretty much agree especially the price being crazy. They DO offer great scholarships or they have to our son but I think it can be lost quickly if they don't keep their gpa up. He's a very hard worker so I'm not all too concerned about that. Not a party type guy, just focused on his art.

I think those of you who mentioned the value on it, the stories are going by if you pay FULL price for the tuition. I doubt too many of the students do and like stated, he has gotten a great scholarship so far and it's not including any FAFSA yet.

It may depend on what the major is as well as to what kind of job they get that pays well.

With that being said, I really think we are leaning towards Ringling. They will come up with their scholarship offers in the next couple of weeks. His "advisor" there said his application is very strong. We will see. The one thing about it is, he has a great friend (who also went to UNCSA) who goes there now (and LOVES it by the way) and lives in his family's vacation home. His parents have already said Chase could live there as well and just help out with some of the expenses. That would be a huge savings. Again, we will see but we think Ringling may be the best fit for him since it's much smaller. Someone mentioned NC State. Chase would be miserable at a school of that size!

ALSO, Ringling is only about an hour and a half from Orlando and his sister (and best friend) will be interning with Disney for the Fall. They would be so happy to know they are that close to each other. She got her acceptance in Full Service Food and Beverage a couple of weeks ago!

 

[FINFAN]

Thank you all so very much!! Yes, I think I've actually talked to FinFan before when he was just interested. I probably talked too much and got on her nerves! ha

For a long time CalArts was THE one he wanted. BUT, he wants to actually do character design and concept art instead of full animation and they concentrate mainly on the animation. He wants to major in Illustration. He thought about applying there as well though. I believe both Ringling and SCAD have wonderful reputations with the recruitment. KCAI does as well just maybe not as much with Disney/Pixar, etc. but not sure. He is open to other companies and is interested in Cartoon Network as well as doing illustrations for children's books! I guess we will wait and see what possible scholarships he can get because, yes, it is pricey for us as well! We just hope he gets enough because again, he's pretty much given up everything to pursue this dream of his!

I'll update you all after we visit SCAD. He has two friends there and one friend at Ringling so he's kind of being pulled. (oh, and another at KCAI). We also have a family acquaintance who's daughter will graduate from SCAD this year and she has said it was the best decision she's ever made. Lots of alumni from Ringling who work on Disney projects. Their "wall of fame" of all the alumni work was so impressive. Aaron Blaise is one. He worked on Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas and many, many more. He does a lot of drawings of animals. His work is phenomenal!!

Thank you all again for your support. It's a very exciting time!

Hi! Exciting news, congrat"s. NO, NO, NO.....you didn't get on my nerves at all, lol. I literally was gone to Orlando , as my DD/Ringling grad accepted a new job out there and DH and I drove her car there. She was working in San Francisco but her goal has been FL and darned if she didn't pull it off OK., here's my take especially considering the cost of all these schools Go for an accredited school~if your son changes his mind, dislikes a schools environment, anything..he should be able to transfer credits from an accredited school, if not, that's a really expensive(in time and money) try-out at a school that isn't.
I think I may have mentioned this to you when we spoke, but have your DS contact companies he is interested in and ask about the schools they have preferred recruiting success from. Have him go on Reddit , ConceptArt.Org, any sites that will get him current feed back from alumni on how things have been going for them in the real world. Almost all of my DD's friends/peers from her graduating class ('12) are working in the industry, and the Ringling network is strong. I can't speak for SCAD or KCAI, but in the working world of Animation, games, etc. you have to have a strong network. Jobs are usually found out thru connections, not traditional methods. I can say that my DD's starting salary exceeded her/our expectations (however cost of living in San Francisco eats that up quickly)I can pm you the offers she has had and luckily was able to choose from. The work load at Ringling is intense for the CA students..well for all of them, but CA goes thru the ringer. Having close proximity to family and friends can be a huge plus. we were 1200 miles away from our DD, and it was rough for both sides at times. However, DD says to this day she wouldn't change a thing, including the cost of attending Ringling. Her friends who majored in Illustration loved the program and award -wise, Ringling leads the pack in students who continually take awards. We are from IL, so no Bright Futures or other FL incentive $. DD passed on good size scholarships from SCAD & CCAD...large enough that DH and I were pretty shocked, but she knew what her goals were and which school was going to get her there. Her thesis film has won numerous awards, and is still doing well, the heavy hitters she has been able to meet and work with in just the 18 months since graduating is unreal~including having it shown at Mann's Chinese Theater in L.A with one of many film festivals. Cartoon Network contacter HER about her film so when I said for your DS to ask where these companies recruit from? There ya go. I will say, the Ringling reputation is very high, companies have a sort of built in respect for graduates from what I've seen. Employers know that graduates have what it takes, are prepared and want to be the best in their field. I know you mentioned dream companies your DS is after, as I said, expensive location, have him research lay-off trends~it sounds glamorous but as projects end, lay offs hit hard. However, this is where the Ringling training and tight alumni come into play, landing the next gig.
It's a huge decision for these kids at such a young age. Real life experiences are key for them to draw from (no pun intended) Ringling sees what these kids have when they submit their portfolios and essays...did your son attend any portfolios days? I'm guessing he was accepted into Illustration? My DD majored in CA but has used her character design and story-telling skills in her jobs.
Good luck to your son (and your family) this is exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time!

 

[reesecup]

FINFAN!!! I'm so glad you weighed in! I have been wanting to message you again but have refrained for fear of bothering you. First of all, Congrats to your daughter! I know you all are so happy.

It's funny because her story sounds so similar to his. The money KCAI and SCAD has offered is almost hard to pass up BUT he's still pretty set on Ringling as his first choice. I just hope he gets some and we are crossing fingers very tightly! He would have his sister near by but I think she may be working quite a bit from what I understand about the program but I'm sure there may be some slow times for her. He is our baby so we will be able to travel down there some to visit when we can. He was so impressed with Ringling. Just all of the work the alumni have done.
Yes, I think he is going to go the Illustration route and they have had impressive stats on that major. He said he might look at CA but I don't know how that works. He really wants to do the concept art and character design more than the actual animation. We have been researching a lot and looking into the companies that recruit. He would love Cartoon Network as well and many of the companies that were on their "wall of fame" of companies alumni have gone on to work for.
He also had a friend (also graduate from UNCSA high school program) who went to SCAD. She has left because she did not like it at all and felt she wasn't being challenged enough. But another friend (UNCSA graduate as well...they were all seniors last year when he was a junior) goes there and loves it. So, who knows?
The one thing I'm a bit concerned about is transportation. I did like that SCAD offers the bus for all times during the night. Chase gave up everything to go to UNCSA including a car and getting his license (they could not take cars to the UNCSA campus) so he will get them as soon as he graduates but he's not an experienced driver at all so that worries me a bit. Thanks again for the information! It truly is exciting but nerve wrecking as well. Is your daughter working for Disney now? And I would love for you to pm me the offers (if you don't mind).

 

[reesecup]

Sorry for the double post.

 

[FINFAN]

Sorry for the double post.

sent you a PM ...and no, not Disney tho she gets to go and play there now, lol

 

[FINFAN]

As far as transportation, you mean to like Publix etc? There is the Sarasota bus line, also goes to St Armand's, Lido, and I think Mote Aquarium. The campus itself is so small no car needed there lol. If he is planning on living off campus, I know parking can be tight. My DD saw the beach all of 3 maybe 4 times there..like I said, her workload was intense, but other kids did find time to go so I know the bus is certainly do-able. If he needs to get to the airport there is also a bus or a cab was $10.

 

[msmayor]

My daughter graduated from SCAD last June...it is an amazing school, and she absolutely loved being there.

One statistic they kept telling us throughout recruiting and her attendance...85% of their graduates are working IN THEIR FIELD OF STUDY within 6 months of graduation. Well in our daughter's case, VERY TRUE! I have heard many an art major complain about how tough it is to find a job and while that may be the case, for my daughter it was not. Two weeks after graduation she started working for a small internet marketing company doing graphics work, and just the other day she accepted a position at a larger design firm in Washington DC making a very nice salary. SCAD really prepared her for real-world work with real-world clients.

Expensive? Yes. But in our minds worth every penny.

Regarding the non-transferability of credits...be aware that many art-focused schools will not accept transfer credits. Many of them have very specific foundation year classes and skill sets they want to ensure that all their students have. They want to know for themselves what the ability of each student is.